The Raspberry Pi Foundation is slicing a bit of the size and cost off of its credit card-sized computer for programmers and is branding the results the Model A+.
The Model A+ builds on the brand's Model A, though the new model is slightly smaller and consumes a little less power than its predecessor, 20 percent to 25 percent less.
It seemed ambitious back in 2011, releasing a $25 board that had an ARM architecture and ran on Linux, says Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi founder and CEO of the company's engineering team. The company's latest feat is amazing in its own right, according to Upton.
"[It's] pretty mind-bending to be able to knock another $5 off the cost while continuing to build it here in the U.K., at the same Sony factory in South Wales we use to manufacture the Model B+," says Upton.
Along with bearing a smaller build and consuming less power than the Model A, the Model A+ has a larger GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) header.
The Model A+ has a GPIO pin count of 40, up from 26, and is compatible with hardware attached on top (HAT). A creation of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the HAT standard is a fully optional means for adding expansion boards to the compact computers.
The Model A+'s micro SD card slot was improved, moving away from the "friction fit" socket to a "push-push" version. With the Model A+, the compact computer audio circuitry continues its improvement and now features a "dedicated low-noise power supply."
Raspberry Pi enthusiast "TheRaspberryPiGuy" gives the Model A+ a rave review, stating it wasn't possible to recommend it even more.
"I think that the A+ is an excellent update to the Model A," says TheRaspberryPiGuy. "The foundation delivered on [its] promises. The form factor is great and its low power use means it's great for embedded projects."
The Model A+ dimensions are 44 mm x 65 mm, significantly smaller than the Model A's measurements of 86 mm x 54 mm. The decrease in Model A's size is due in large part to an observation made by James Adams, director of hardware at the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
"James basically explained that we can chop the board off at the mounting holes and find room on the board for a single USB connector, meaning we could make an A+ board that was markedly smaller than the B+," says Upton.
The Model A+ follows the release of the Model B+, which was unveiled back in July.
